Erik Spoelstra sponsors David Fizdale as strong head coach candidate: ‘I don’t want him going anywhere in the East’

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra sung plenty of praise for his former assistant, David Fizdale, who is among the top candidates for a head coach job during the offseason.

Having worked alongside him for several years, including taking on the gigantic task of assembling The Big Three in South Beach, Spoelstra lauded his former sidekick, noting he’d be a great fit anywhere he lands.

“Fiz is a great fit anywhere. He’s a brilliant basketball mind that has exceptional, gold-standard level communication skills,” said Spoelstra, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley. “He’s one of my best friends. But I say that objectively. I just think he’s one of the most talented coaches I’ve been around.”

“I feel very grateful that we had an opportunity to work together for so long. I just, I hope he goes West (laughs). That’s the kind of respect I have for him. I don’t want him going anywhere in the East.”

Fizdale is currently a top target for several teams, including the New York Knicks, who are looking for a strong candidate that an relate to today’s players and work alongside them, helping them grow.

The 43-year-old will be asked about his relationship with Marc Gasol once the Knicks conduct interviews, and if he proves to be the strong communicator that Spoelstra says he is, he would be one of the top choices for the franchise during the search.